Despite some twists and turns in the Canadian economy the past year, the average British Columbian made more in October than during the same period a year prior.
The average weekly wage in B.C. inched up to $907, according to data released December 22 by Statistics Canada.
While that 3.7% bump from October 2013 outpaces the national average of 2.8%, the average weekly wage in B.C. is still behind the Canadian average of $942.
October was the first full month B.C. teachers were back in the classroom since educators went on strike in June.
Employment in the province’s educational services sector dropped by 15,700 between August and September. But by October, the sector gained 14,400 jobs in B.C.
Statistics Canada said this was a similar level compared with Octobers in previous years.
But nationally, average weekly wages in education service declined 0.1% to $985.
Meanwhile, average weekly wages in real estate jumped 8.4% to $945 — just a hair above the national average across all industries.
On the low side of earnings, average weekly wages in food and accommodation ($377), and retail ($554) rose 3.1% and 4.6%, respectively.
On the other side of the spectrum, wages in mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction reached $2,053, rising 6.6% from October 2013.
Forestry and logging wages declined 0.6% to $1,029.
Average weekly wages in utilities, meanwhile, rose higher than in any other industry, skyrocketing 10.8% to $1,820.
@reporton
